Interceptor Bear 650 is the first scrambler-style motorcycle based on Royal Enfield’s 650cc platform and may be the lightest
With 650 Twins, Royal Enfield rewrote the rule books of multi-cylinder large-displacement engine-equipped motorcycles. Starting from Interceptor 650 and GT Continental 650, Royal Enfield has significantly expanded its 650 portfolio. Newest addition to this lineup is a Scrambler based on Interceptor 650 which has just made its global debut.
Interceptor Bear 650 Debuts
Royal Enfield, the iconic motorcycle manufacturer, has emerged as India’s de facto classic and retro mobility solutions provider. This behemoth has been dominating two lucrative segments in India – 350cc to 450cc segment and 500cc+ segment. With little to no traction from rivals, Royal Enfield has soldiered on to the top.
Their latest offering is a Scrambler style motorcycle based on Interceptor 650. Called Royal Enfield Interceptor Bear 650, the name symbolises Eddie Mulder’s historic win at Big Bear Run of 1960. The latest teaser by Royal Enfield was voiced by Eddie Mulder, also a renowned racer, stuntman and bike builder.
When compared to Interceptor 650 it is based on, the new Scrambler is a lot more appealing. For starters, there are 5 new colours to choose from, as seen in the image below. The launch colour is based on a bright yellow shade, complemented by white and black elements, for a sporty vibe. Some colourways get painted mainframe and subframes.
Overall silhouette is almost identical to Interceptor 650 it is based on. Which is not a bad thing in our opinion. Side body panels now get a round element. Headlights are LEDs and so are the tail lights and turn indicators. The single-piece seat seems to be slightly raised, for that Scrambler look.
Front suspension has gotten an upgrade to USD telescopic forks as opposed to RSU telescopic forks on Interceptor 650. These USD forks are from Showa and should allow for sportier handling. Rear suspension is still handled by a twin-shock setup on Interceptor Bear 650, but it might be tuned differently.
What are the changes?
Also upgraded is the instrumentation where we can now see a TFT Tripper Dash that supports music control and Google Maps. The main highlights of Interceptor Bear 650 are the new tyres which could be Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR and the new single exhaust setup. This exhaust is slightly upswept and might make Interceptor Bear 650 the lightest RE 650cc bike.
It will be powered by the same 648cc parallel twin engine as other RE650 offerings. This engine will churn out around 46 bhp of peak power and 56.5 Nm of peak torque, mated to a 6-speed gearbox. Price-wise, we can expect a starting price of around Rs 3.5 lakh – 3.6 lakh (Ex-sh).
Source
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
